Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship leader Ash Sutton powered to his ninth victory of the season in the first BTCC race on the Donington Park Grand Prix circuit for 21 years.
The three-time champion started from pole position, but fell to third on the first lap, as reigning champion Tom Ingram and Ricky Collard made better getaways in damp conditions.
The NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus ST fought back immediately though, dispatching Collard’s Toyota Corolla exiting the Old Hairpin on lap one, and then lunged Ingram’s Hyundai i30N at the Melbourne Hairpin next time around, and completing the move at Goddards seconds later.
He then showed the speed that’s enabled him to win so many times this season, extending his lead by over half a second on each tour, eventually taking the flag seven seconds clear of Ingram.
Ingram looked comfortable in second, but his Hyundai soon came under heavy pressure from a charging Jake Hill, who passed four cars in four laps in the closing stages. The Laser Tools with MB Motorsport BMW contender set his sights on Ingram on the final lap, the pair door bashing as they crossed the line side-by-side, with Ingram prevailing by 0.049s.
Collard, who ran second early on, had to settle for fourth, losing his podium spot with two laps remaining, and finishing ahead of Team BMW's four time champion Colin Turkington. CarStore Power Maxed Racing’s Aron Taylor-Smith, took sixth ahead of One Motorsport with Starline Racing's Josh Cook.
The second NAPA Racing machine of Daniel Rowbottom was eighth, with Andrew Watson (Vauxhall) and Tom Chilton (Hyundai) completing the top-10.
The second BTCC contest is scheduled for 14.45.
Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Donington Park GP, Race one result:
1. Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, 14 laps
2. Tom Ingram, Bristol Street Motors with Excelr8, Hyundai i30N, +7.178s
3. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, +7.227s
4. Ricky Collard, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK, Toyota Corolla GT Sport, +8.934s
5. Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +9.636s
6. Aron Taylor-Smith, CarStore Power Maxed Racing, Vauxhall Astra, +11.987s
7. Josh Cook, One Motorsport with Starline Racing, Honda Civic Type R, +12.662s
8. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +13.229s
9. Andrew Watson, CarStore Power Maxed Racing, Vauxhall Astra, +14.010s
10. Tom Chilton, Bristol Street Motors with Excelr8, Hyundai i30N, +20.666s
Click here for full result.
Tickets are available upon arrival at the circuit all weekend, with free entry for children under-13. Click here for full information.